Kamanaʻopono M. Crabbe

Preparing the next generation of culturally responsible ahupua’a stewards.

Kamana‘opono M. Crabbe
Ka Pouhana/CEO

Kamana‘opono M. Crabbe

Dr. Kamanaʻopono M. Crabbe serves as a seasoned spokesperson and representative for the Native Hawaiian community on matters involving Native Hawaiian history and resilience, and current social, cultural, educational, economic and political issues and trends affecting Native Hawaiians, Hawai‘i and the Pacific. Dr. Crabbe has focused his personal, academic and professional career toward improving Native Hawaiian well-being. He sits on several high-level policy and governing boards around the world and locally.

Crabbe’s executive leadership is demonstrated through civic positions like the Hawai‘i Executive Conference Advisory Board; Executive Committee of the Assembly of Austronesian Leaders; IUCN World Conservation Congress 2016, Steering Committee Member; Nā Limahana O Lonopūhā Native Hawaiian Health Consortium, President; The Native Hawaiian Justice Task Force, Vice Chair. He was the Director of Psychology Training at the Waiʻanae Coast Comprehensive Health Center from 2008-2010. In 2009, he joined the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) as its Research Director, focusing on demography, land, culture, and history projects where he began some of Hawaiʻi’s most innovative research projects. In March 2012, Dr. Crabbe was appointed the Chief Executive Officer for OHA, a semi-autonomous government agency whose charge is to empower Hawaiians and strengthen Hawaiʻi. As OHA’s Ka Pouhana, the main post of the hale, he grounded the organization in Kūkulu Hou – his vision to reestablish and rebuild the mana of kānaka maoli. Dr. Crabbe directed OHA’s efforts in addressing its strategic priorities of ʻĀina (Land & Water), Moʻomeheu (Culture), Ea (Governance), Hoʻonaʻauao (Education), Hoʻokahua Waiwai (Economic Self-Sufficiency) and Mauli Ola (Health).

He has received numerous cultural distinctions and formal awards recognizing his executive leadership accomplishments, such as the World Indigenous Peoples Conference on Education Leadership Award, American Psychological Association’s Minority Fellowship Program Predoctoral Fellowship, and the Hawaiʻi Psychological Association Patrick H. DeLeon, Ph.D. Lifetime Achievement Award among many others.

Uplifting the mana and mauli ola of the Hawaiian community through transformation and indigenous excellence are pillars of his leadership values. Crabbe serves his community as a hoʻoponopono practitioner (trained by Abbie Napeahi and Howard Peʻa), chanter (trained by Kumu Hōkūlani Holt), and ‘aha ‘awa ceremony and protocol expert. In 2006, he established the non-governmental organization, ʻAha Kāne: Foundation for the Advancement of Native Hawaiian Males. He earned his doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and remains a licensed clinical psychologist helping countless families, youth and communities. He is guided by this ancient Hawaiian proverb knowing that every good leader needs a strong foundation for their work and vision, Ke kahu mamua, mahope ke kūkulu. The foundation first, the building afterwards. (Pukui, 1983, #2459).

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